Interesting prompts ...
to start a conversation going ...
as and when you might need one ...
a diversion to talk about

Thursday, 29 December 2011

Alice’s Story .... Jam Jars ... and my goddaughter’s remembrances ...

Do you remember going to the cinema and paying with a jam jar, a piece of lead pipe, tin cans, or rags .... Or?

In the 1930s, those Depression years, and during the War – children could gain entry to the Matinee cinema performance by paying with a jam jar!!

1930s children

Children came from all around, usually on bicycles if they were in the country, eager to join the queue – every effort was made to earn or have the 2p admission ... but, if not, a jam jar would do!

Extra farthings, half-pennies or pennies went towards sweets, oranges or buns ... Ice-creams only becoming available from the usherette in the middle of the 20th Century when refrigeration became cheaper.

A farthing - 1/4 of a Penny

The Corporation trucks would collect the jam jars to go to the jam factory; the rags and rabbit skins would go to be cleaned and made into rough blankets; the tin cans and lead pipe were headed to the aircraft factories .... all legitimate for the War effort.

The glass collection continued on into the 1970s when beer and pop bottles were collected and returned for cash ... great for pocket money and/or recycling.

The Curzon Cinema Eastbourne:
opened its doors in 1913

Nutty neighbours? – well one man used to tell the local kids that he would go to the cinema and pay with a jam jar – they assumed he was off his rocker or nuts ... he was usually - but just not with this particular remembrance!

One question – if the jam jars were at the cinema: “Where did the children keep their minnows and sticklebacks?”

Large! minnow in jam jar!

This raised a point with my honorary goddaughter D – as mentioned in my last post ... she reminded me of the time when (her twin) Amy and Simon came down with their mother and Gogo (grandma) to stay. They must have been 8 and 5 at the time .... when we went to see my uncle.

Derek’s big garden was wonderful for children – lots of shrubs to run around amongst, trees to hide behind, the raised house with its ‘stoop’ (African balcony) for us to sit on and have tea – keeping an ever watchful eye on darting youngsters.

Similar full bordered pond to
my uncle's

Then right in front my aunt had dug a huge pond – she was petite, probably less than 5 feet, which to clean (my uncle told me!) she took off her clothes and went in up to her neck to sort it out! She had fisherman’s waders for the lighter jobs!

This pond was a relative monster having been based on a Dew Pond ... my aunt was a perfectionist ... and it had been very well constructed (a necessity coming from an engineering family). She had planted it with rushes, water lilies, added goldfish and Koi ... it was a lovely sight from our balcony vantage point ...

Koi

There was a slightly wobbly path running around the back, with a tall, full border of perennial shrubs – azaleas, roses, et al (can’t remember in other words!). Not really room for adults and kids ... but that’s the way it goes.

Public Pond - Yacht Racing

Derek had all the mod cons out – or ancient much loved relics of childhoods gone ... two model sail boats ... that would get marooned in the middle and our tall stick couldn’t reach them ... til the wind blew them free.

The kids delighted in these running around, rescuing the ships out of the rushes, darting to the back as they sailed further out of reach to the far shore .....

.... then a Cri de Coeur – Hilly, Hilly ... can we have a jam jar? Why? There’s fishes here and we want to catch them ... oh look there’s babies too .... oh, oh please can we have some jar jars ...

Fish in the Faroe Islands:

Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) –

Faroese stamp issued 7 February 1994

... so jam jars they had – poor fish extracted from their watery living quarters to be fair and square deposited on the hot paving slabs of that path ... where they slithered unhappily ... as the kids squealed and screamed with delight.

A good memory from D of happy days in Derek’s garden ... which ties in well with Jam Jars ... so the chap was right to question – but what about the sticklebacks and minnows .... ours didn’t last long as they quietly ‘fried alive’ .. my sloshing with water didn’t help much I don’t think!

Still these are good laughter memories – the jam jar trip to the cinema – was new to me ... as well as D’s remembrance of another time over at Derek’s .. that resonates very happily in her mind to this day .... so Jam Jars too have stories to tell.

Quick update on my mother ... I think presents trigger her interest! Christmas Day went .. but Boxing Day she came too and I asked if she wanted to open some presents ... we did – and she raised her head up trying to look round me to see what I was doing as I was setting something up – quizzy as ever, not wanting to miss out!

Garden Dew Pond with water lilies

She was really interested ... and then I read the cards and Christmas notes/letters I had up in her room ... but that was enough. The main thing she was happy and interested ... and today I read some of my A – Z short blog posts ... we read A – D ... not bad.

Fishing for minnows and sticklebacks was a regular occurrence when I was a boy in the late 1940s. We had a big waterbutt just outside the back door to keep them in.1lb jars were used for fishing and a precious 2lb jar for transporting them home.Great memories in this post.

Your aunt does sound like quite the lady. And I'm glad your mother had a good day. I read on another blog that you got a great book for Christmas. Nothing like the real thing with acutal photos. Have a great New Year, Roland

We used to use glass jars for keeping various insects. I still save bottles and cans that have cash-in value to pick up some pocket money. I try to recycle everything I can.Another interesting post today.

what a lovely post We always kept all our jars.and my Mom bought new covers for them for pickling.and other things she cooked for the winter stores.I never heard of paying with them at the cinema though Thats a new one.I can understand this though cause times were tough and every little bit helps.

What lovely things to do with your mum on Christmas Day. It sounds like a feel good day for you and her as it was for me and my family. Good, good!!

My parents remember the Depression. I, having been born in 1940, don't; but I do remember turning in pop bottles for pennies back, and to recycle them. Now the bottles have turned to cans and are tossed in with other trash.

I also remember my mother pickling and "canning" mostly peaches in glass jars.

Glad your mother is feeling perkier! I guess you'll be wrapping lots of little things for her to open on visits to peak her interest. I never realized jam jars had so many practical uses! Wishing you, your mum, and the rest of your family, a very happy and healthy New Year! Julie

Greetings Hilary,Thanks for this fascinating article. Most importantly, your mother seems in fine spirits.I'd vaguely heard about jam jars being used as 'currency' at the cinema. Not quite the same, but you triggered a memory of going to Saturday morning matinee's as a small lad in Vancouver. Disney films cost five cents more to see. Thirty cents for the matinee, rather than the normal twenty five cents, or a quarter, if you wish. So, bless them, the cinema handed out each kid a five cent, or nickel if you wish, candy bar to make up the difference! And um..thanks again for reminding me about that darned A to Z blogging 'challenge' :)Cheers and thanks for your kind interaction.Gary

Another truly lovely post from you, chock-full of wonderful memories. And I did love hearing about you and your Mum, at the end, with you reading to her from your A-Z. Best wishes for the New Year to you both.

What interesting stories you come up with Hilary. I'd never heard that about the jam jars, but when I was a kid we used to collect bottles and get pocket money for them. And I save the jam jars to return to the local organic grower, who fills them with delicious relishes and chutneys, so in a way I am carrying on a time-honoured tradition.

@ Ann .. it is great when Mum does come too sufficiently to take an interest. So pleased you had a happy family day - excellent news.

Post war times .. times were tough - but we were kids, so I don't remember they were tough ... it was part of life. We certainly saved everything and reused it ..

Yes - we had a larder with loads of pickles, jams and jellies made from the garden produce

Thanks for the hug for my Mama ..

@ Julie - sadly not really .. it's just nice when she does come to properly for a while and takes an interest. She enjoys having us there. Thanks for your New Year thoughts ..

@ Gary - Mum has her moments, which is lovely to see - thank you.

Well I think the currency idea is exactly right .. incredible that Disney charged 5c more for its films - I wonder why: I suppose they cost more to hire?! What a lovely gesture giving each kid the equivalent of a candy bar to solve that problem!

Sorry Gary - Lee .. seems to be pressing us and reminding us about the A - Z .. I'm slightly worried too - going from 100 to over a 1,000 in a year .. will it be 10,000 next year (it is next year still!)?

@ Susan - thank you .. it's interesting bringing the memories out from other residents, let alone my own. My Mama certainly at times is still very interested, but mostly is happy to be quiet and not chat or be fussed over .. but essential to have her massage therapists visit as well as the input we can give.

@ Munir - I'm sure life in India was very different and you were part of a large dynastic household; Interesting that Americans collected cans .. but obviously different cities had different policies. Glad you enjoyed the post.

@ Juliet - well nor had I and I guessed many would be amused. We returned bottles .. but I don't remember getting money - but we were in the countryside ...

Good for you - so you're really recycling and I bet the organic farmer is pleased to be able to reuse the jars. Continuing on the tradition, as you say.

Thanks so much Ann, Julie, Gary, Susan, Munir and Juliet .. lovely having your comments and thanks very much for your thoughts re my Mama ..

How wonderful to hear Jam Jar was once used as money for kids. I remember going fishing with a net and a jar down by the river. How simple and easy was life then. Now I collect them for my friend who fills them with jam. Glad to know your mum took an interest in Christmas and enjoyed her time with you and your family. We spent time with my mum too She's doing well and enjoying her life. Best wishes to you both for the New Year.

It must have felt good to see your Mother's interest in the presents. I certainly never paid for the cinema with a jam jar but I do remember taking pop bottles back to the corner shop and getting money back on them... happy day.Hears hoping for a happy and healthy new year for us all.

@ Ros .. it's always nice when she's awake and can take an interest in things. I'll talk to her about the jam jars soon ... we return the beer bottles - I remember that as a kid .. perhaps we used the other jars for our own jams, bottling, pickling etc .. we had a big garden - so very possible. Happy days - they were you're right ..

@ Donna - it is crazy how we've been recycling things for years .. yet it's a new concept ..

Thanks Ros and Donna .. re my Mama .. and have very happy and healthy New Years yourselves .. Hilary

I'm so glad you had that special time with your mother, I'm very touched my that as my father suffers from dementia, and I know how special these moments of interest can be. It also made me smile that she didn't want to miss out!

Loved reading about the jam jars, I'd never heard of that before. Thanks for sharing your memories!

Hilary this brought back memories, not of jam jars, but of catching taddies (tadpoles) and bringing them home in jars. We'd go to a local dam (which would be securely fenced these days) and dip in the jars to catch the critters at different stages of growth, then take them to school for show and tell. I hope they bring bottle recycling back, that was great for pocket money!

@ Teresa .. funny old world isn't it! Thought everyone would be amused - and they are! Yes .. it was lovely seeing Mum take an interest .. she really does interact at times.

@ Julie .. these special moments do make life really special don't they .. and not missing out - she did love life.

Those jam jars have stories to tell!

@ Jannie .. it seems they're still collecting in different parts of the world in exchange for a few pennies ..

@ Joylene .. I did confirm Alice's story and found a forum where the rags and rabbits came in, as well as the minnows ... it seems to have happened around the 'English' world.

Both you and Sylvia .. writing a book or a play - not sure that runs into my skill set!

@ Sue .. ah yes tadpoles .. those too. Definitely fenced in now. Do you not have recycling in Aus? Theoretically we do .. but then you hear stories of it all being bundled up / mixed up together and sent off .. I hate to think where.

Last day of 2011 and you taught me something new. Never knew about the Jam Jars. I really enjoy your post (as always). It was interesting about the presents and how they brought your mom some 'happy'. Enjoy the start to 2012.Carol

Hi Hilary - yes we definitely have voluntary recycling, but we used to have a refund scheme on bottles. Different coloured bins for different types of rubbish or recyclables. But as kids we would collect as many bottles as we could, take them to the local milk bar and get around 5 cents per bottle. They still have it in South Australia, but not in Victoria - I understand the CokeCola company isn't keen on it and is fighting its reintroduction.

@ Lee .. interesting to learn that in CA they have cash refunds for returnables .. and I can believe it'll provide a little essential extra. I guess the city corporation does sell our rubbish for revenue .. makes sense - where there's much there's brass!

@ Sue .. interesting how different states and countries vary in their policies. We separate ours .. then it all seems to get mixed up and exported .. there's a muddled thinking ..

I'm very ambivalent about the Coke co. .. having read a book about them ..in fact big business in general ...

and on that note Lee and Sue .. Happy New Year ... joy, contentment and peace abound on our four continents (I have two - SA and Europe!) and elsewhere if the world gets lucky .. cheers Hilary

Hi Abbots Locksmiths, Sydney .. the idea operates in some places around the world apparently .. I just loved the lifestyle of sending your kid off with a jam jar in the late 1920s early 1930s so they could have some pleasure and dream some dreams via the cinema.

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About Me

A lover of life – who after London, spent time in South Africa; an administrator, sports lover, who enjoys cooking and entertaining ... who through her mother’s illness found a new passion – writing, in particular blogging; which provides an opportunity for future exploration, by the daughter, who has (in her 3rd age years) found a love of historical education. Curiosity didn’t kill this cat – interaction is the key!